How to Set Career Related Goals
Long-term career goals can be a bit of a misnomer to the average person.
The reality of the shelf-life of most American workers is about 4-5 years at one company.
With a range of 7-10 jobs that the average professional worker will have, there has to be a distinction between long-term careers goals and long-term employment.
Your long-term career goals may not mean that staying with the current employer will be a part of those goals.
However, utilizing the position you have now will enable you to be better prepared and qualified for the next goal-related position.
Maintaining a separation between goals and position will enable you to focus on those experiences and those industries that will allow you to meet your goals.
So, how do you go about setting long-term career goals? Without sounding overly-simplistic, the first step is to know what you want to do.
What kind of career do you want vs.
what job you want.
Here's an example: My dream job may be to be the radar gun holder for the speed of pitches for Major League Baseball.
However, the reality of the situation is about networking.
I would only get that job based on connections, not a particular skill set garnered through years of setting performance goals.
As such, it makes more sense to establish long-term career-oriented goals since most people will not just get a "dream job" without it.
What is my passion? What do I love to do? Think larger.
If I love baseball, what can I do to use my talents, abilities, knowledge to that end? There is a career-progression in baseball that can allow for a career path to be charted and goals to be set.
Once you can answer those heart-questions, then the research begins.
As a career, what kind of path is there in that field? What would I want to as see my progression of responsibility and authority? For example, if I wanted to use my knowledge, skills and abilities to work front office for a baseball team, I know that I will not begin with the top job.
Perhaps my first goal would be to enter the ticket sales management end.
And then, I might want to become involved in a PR role.
Next, an assistant general manager position would be my goal.
And finally, I would become the general manager of a team.
That path may seem the most relevant to my skill set and desires.
From this, my long-term career aspirations will lead my long-term career goals.
More research will then have to be done.
What will I do to put myself in those opportunities? Where will I have to move to? How long should I expect to be there? What teams would offer me initial opportunities? How long would I have to work for a minor league team before I could think about moving into a major league team? Baseball might be an easier example, but every career has research that can be done so that you can plan accordingly.
Another must for long-term career goals is to write them down.
You must have a chart to work from to know where you are and where you are going.
For some, a simple list will suffice, but others may want to use vision boards to literally chart out those steps.
Using a PERT chart might help.
Connected to this is accountability.
While it is your career path and no one else's, it is a wise practice to share your goals with one or two who will keep your feet to the fire.
You may slip into a lax stance or consider making a concession to your goals, but another person may remind you of your initial desires and provide a good sounding board for you.
When developing these long-term goals, be sure to use subsets of short-term goals that support the overall.
How will those long-term goals become reality? The answer to that question may spur the short-term plans and goals needed.
From this, a timeline should emerge.
How long are you setting to accomplish each of these short-term goals? When should you expect achievement of a long-term goal? Don't be afraid to dream a bit with these goals.
The point of having them is not only to work to achieve them, but also to develop along the way.
Setting goals that are too attainable presents little challenge to your character, your work ethic and your inspiration quotient.
Set the bar slightly higher than you think you can go, but work as if you can achieve it.
Goal-setting has many nuances to it that one article would not be able to identify, but hopefully you have found a sense of direction related to the ideas presented here.
Challenge your perspective and look to advance yourself through the setting of some long- and short-range goals.
The reality of the shelf-life of most American workers is about 4-5 years at one company.
With a range of 7-10 jobs that the average professional worker will have, there has to be a distinction between long-term careers goals and long-term employment.
Your long-term career goals may not mean that staying with the current employer will be a part of those goals.
However, utilizing the position you have now will enable you to be better prepared and qualified for the next goal-related position.
Maintaining a separation between goals and position will enable you to focus on those experiences and those industries that will allow you to meet your goals.
So, how do you go about setting long-term career goals? Without sounding overly-simplistic, the first step is to know what you want to do.
What kind of career do you want vs.
what job you want.
Here's an example: My dream job may be to be the radar gun holder for the speed of pitches for Major League Baseball.
However, the reality of the situation is about networking.
I would only get that job based on connections, not a particular skill set garnered through years of setting performance goals.
As such, it makes more sense to establish long-term career-oriented goals since most people will not just get a "dream job" without it.
What is my passion? What do I love to do? Think larger.
If I love baseball, what can I do to use my talents, abilities, knowledge to that end? There is a career-progression in baseball that can allow for a career path to be charted and goals to be set.
Once you can answer those heart-questions, then the research begins.
As a career, what kind of path is there in that field? What would I want to as see my progression of responsibility and authority? For example, if I wanted to use my knowledge, skills and abilities to work front office for a baseball team, I know that I will not begin with the top job.
Perhaps my first goal would be to enter the ticket sales management end.
And then, I might want to become involved in a PR role.
Next, an assistant general manager position would be my goal.
And finally, I would become the general manager of a team.
That path may seem the most relevant to my skill set and desires.
From this, my long-term career aspirations will lead my long-term career goals.
More research will then have to be done.
What will I do to put myself in those opportunities? Where will I have to move to? How long should I expect to be there? What teams would offer me initial opportunities? How long would I have to work for a minor league team before I could think about moving into a major league team? Baseball might be an easier example, but every career has research that can be done so that you can plan accordingly.
Another must for long-term career goals is to write them down.
You must have a chart to work from to know where you are and where you are going.
For some, a simple list will suffice, but others may want to use vision boards to literally chart out those steps.
Using a PERT chart might help.
Connected to this is accountability.
While it is your career path and no one else's, it is a wise practice to share your goals with one or two who will keep your feet to the fire.
You may slip into a lax stance or consider making a concession to your goals, but another person may remind you of your initial desires and provide a good sounding board for you.
When developing these long-term goals, be sure to use subsets of short-term goals that support the overall.
How will those long-term goals become reality? The answer to that question may spur the short-term plans and goals needed.
From this, a timeline should emerge.
How long are you setting to accomplish each of these short-term goals? When should you expect achievement of a long-term goal? Don't be afraid to dream a bit with these goals.
The point of having them is not only to work to achieve them, but also to develop along the way.
Setting goals that are too attainable presents little challenge to your character, your work ethic and your inspiration quotient.
Set the bar slightly higher than you think you can go, but work as if you can achieve it.
Goal-setting has many nuances to it that one article would not be able to identify, but hopefully you have found a sense of direction related to the ideas presented here.
Challenge your perspective and look to advance yourself through the setting of some long- and short-range goals.
